14 December 2006

The grand old hull of the former Child's Restaurant on the far west side on the Coney Island boardwalk is going to see life again.

Something called Taconic Investment Partners has bought the property and plans to return it to its original use. No, not an actual Child's, but a restaurant anyway, or a—ick, that awful term—food court. Of course, nothing gets developed in this one-business town without there being some condos involved. So, Taconic will erect some new housing just next door. (People to eat at the new restaurant, duh.)

Community Board 13 District Manager Chuck Reichenthal told The Daily News that whatever housing was built, it wouldn't tower over the Parachute Jump, the beloved Coney Island relic. However, Taconic said it couldn't rule out the possibility that the building would dwarf the Jump. (Way to stay on the same page, guys!) Those real estate gnomes never do rule out anything, do they? "Escalator going straight to Hell? Maybe, if it pays out."

The Child's building is landmarked, so Taconic supposedly can't touch it. It opened in 1922, and, believe it or not, there used to be dancing on the roof. (How come we can't dance on the roof anywhere in New York, anymore?)

This is one of the few developments in Coney Island that isn't run by Thor Equities, the monolith that, like the god in its name, hits the Earth repeatedly with thunderbolts that demolish landmarks, leaving condos and other eyesores in their wake. Most recent victim: the Revere Sugar Refinery in Red Hook.

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The original, running Jeremiad on the vestiges of Old New York as they are steamrolled under or threatened by the currently ruthless real estate market and the City Fathers' disregard for Gotham's historical and cultural fabric. Est. January 2006.Contact Me

About Me

I have lived in New York City since 1988 and earn my bread as a writer. I began this blog in January 2006. Beyond that, don't be so nosy.
"I am not a pessimist; to perceive evil where it exists is, in my opinion, a form of optimism."
—Roberto Rossellini